Lebanese-Style Red Lentil Soup

"This is a wonderful soup that sort of resembles split-pea. I serve it garnished with lemon wedges, and sometimes add grilled chicken breast or cooked and cubed sweet potatoes for texture. Have fun with it!"

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 30, 2008

Very good. I am a Palestinian and we cook this all the time. I double the Cumin. and get rid of the cayenne pepper and use regular pepper. Also no need to puree, if you leave the soup on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes the lintels will dissolve completely. I add the onions last because I like the crunch.

Most Helpful Critical Review

Jun 19, 2011

I think the reviews are a little overrated, since I felt the lemon was quite overpowering. The soup is very different before and after the lemon is added. One should add it gradually, to taste, I think.

This soup is delicious. I did alter it a little. If you saute onions, garlic, celery and carrots and add them at the end, it makes it that much better. Then I let it simmer a while longer until the vegetables were soft. Loved it.

I really like this recipe..and after I "Owned" it, I liked it evern more!! First of all, not everyone can deal with spicy..no worries about eliminating the Cayenne Pepper, lemon pepper is so much better! I also absolutely love the texture of the lentils in this soup, so blending them and ommitting the reason this soup is so good feels wrong, I instead sauteed the onions with carrots and garlice, and pureed them and added them to the soup. I also browned some chicken breast bits and threw them in as well. Doubled the cumin and omitted the cilantro. Great recipe!!!

This soup is fantastic. It tastes just like what I enjoy from our local Mid-Eastern restaurant. I highly recommend using lemon juice or a wedge of lemon for a garnish.
My personal preference is to serve the soup with a little long-grain rice like Basmati or Jasmine, fresh cilantro and a dollop of plain yogurt.

I have been looking for a traditional middle-eastern lentil soup for ages, and this one is PERFECT!
I substituted veggie broth for the chicken broth to make the recipe vegetarian. 2 cups of red lentils worked well for me with 6 cups of broth.

I loved this recipe. I cut the portions in half for a single persons portion. I minced the onion and garlic very small and added them to cook for about 15-20 minutes longer. Because I cooked the lentils longer and stirred frequently, I chose not to blend and get more texture. I used store bought lemon juice and only used about half of what the recipe called for. No time for fresh cilantro, so I added coriander for the minty flavor and it was perfect.

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.